Police release video of Bellbrook bus incident

The incident in which a 13-year-old Bellbrook Middle School student was knocked unconscious on a school bus was caught in video.

Police have released surveillance video of the incident on the bus that occurred Oct. 29.

Caleb Leonard was knocked unconscious with a heavy book bag swung by another student whom Caleb and his mother characterized as a bully. The incident occurred during the ride home after school let out.

Caleb was taken to Dayton Children's Hospital. The mother said her son was bleeding from his right ear after his head struck a bus window, and he appears to be experiencing hearing problems now.

Bellbrook Detective Keith Salyers said on Nov. 6 that he reviewed surveillance video of the incident and a criminal charge was filed with Greene County Juvenile Court.

Beverly Wetzel, the school district's transportation director, said the bus driver called for the medic at the bus stop and followed district policy. She said it appeared "there was no malice on the part of the student" accused in the incident.

Caleb's mother said the other students didn't tell the bus driver what happened for several minutes.

According to Caleb's mother, the driver called for her son when she reached his bus stop. One of her son's friends told the driver that the boy was "not awake."

"I know why a child didn't say something. He got hit with a 25 pound-plus book bag by a child who has been bullying him since the fifth grade," Caleb's mother said.

She said the school should have done more to prevent the incident.

"I want that school to take whatever action needs to be taken because I will take this as far as I can to make sure my son and other kids don't get treated this way and brushed under the rug as if he is nothing," she said.